It is desirable under certain circumstances to operate a diesel engine on a low cetane fuel. However, low cetane fuels typically have poor ignition quality. Specifically, low cetane fuels generally have relatively long ignition delays. That is, a relatively long period of time elapses between the time the low cetane fuel is injected into a combustion chamber of the diesel engine and the time the low cetane fuel actually ignites.
Accordingly, one draw back to utilizing low cetane fuels is that their relatively long ignition delays cause starting problems in diesel engines. In addition, the long ignition delay can cause the diesel engine to misfire under light loads.
What is needed therefore is a method of operating a diesel engine on a low cetane fuel which overcomes one or more of the above-mentioned drawbacks.